I just had such a laugh with one of my clients today.
Last week, she casually mentioned one of her friends had recommended she try Purdy and Figg household cleaner, and I almost launched myself through the Zoom screen saying, “Oh My God YES! That stuff is amazing! It literally smells like you're at a spa and the microfibre cloth they send you is so plush and velvety you’ll want to bury your face in it and have its children!”
I explained how it arrives in beautiful, eco-friendly packaging that makes you feel as if you’ve just opened a Valentine’s Day gift.
It’s made from all-natural ingredients, and even comes in a refillable glass bottle that adds to its aura of Sacred Potion.
The fact that it’s so eco friendly should really take away any feelings of guilt from buying what’s essentially over-priced Flash, but you can’t help feeling slightly reckless and wicked when you’re squirting it all over completely dirt-free kitchen cupboard doors just to make the most of every square metre of surface area capable of releasing the heady scent.
Today, she reported that Purdy and Figg is everything she hoped for and more.
Just like me, she’s found herself cleaning things that don’t need cleaning just for the nosegasm.
It’s the sort of product that would make you sack your cleaner if you had one, or at the very least tell them not to come anywhere near the house for a week because you have ebola virus.
We joked it’s like crack for middle-aged women - just as addictive and probably just as expensive.
I’ve never actually bought crack so not sure what the street price is, but I can imagine if Purdy and Figg ever ran out of stock then I could flog my stash in Waitrose car park to desperate housewives - possibly even cut with Ecover kitchen cleaner to boost profits.
So, my real message for you today isn’t a sales pitch for Purdy and Figg (in fact please don’t tell anyone else about it or we could trigger a national shortage.)
I’m simply saying even the most dull tasks can be made more enjoyable with a bit of imagination.
If ever I find myself putting something off because I know it’ll be unpleasant, I ask myself, “How can I make this more enjoyable?”
(I would offer some helpful suggestions but you can go figure that out for yourself - I’m off to clean my kitchen!)